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If there is one app out there that is the best toolbox that you'll find for your iPad/iPhone, then Goodreader for iPad (Goodreader, for short) would be it. As a long time user (since 2010), I have come to rely on Goodreader for the tasks needed for my iPad that are usually only possible using a computer.

Goodreader 4 is said to be an even better version of an already great app. It's currently available as a standalone app or as in-app purchase from one's existing Goodreaderapp.

Penultimate is one of my favorite note taking apps, and I’ve gone through a LOT already. (Second favorite would be Noteshelf) It has an excellent handwriting engine and wrist protection that minimizes stray marks on the iPad screen. Unlike most apps, you don’t need to select a certain area to write on, or conversely, keep stray marks out – Penultimate bases its wrist protection on the angle or position of your wrist. So far this is the best set up I’ve experienced.

What makes it hugely popular and the go to note taking app by default is its simplicity and elegance. Plenty of writing apps offer a lot more features but Penultimate is the one that really lets you focus on the writing. It has introduced a couple of new features since I first purchased it in 2010, such as the ability to add photos, select and move something you’ve written, and a store to offer free and paid kinds of paper. You may prefer a different, more feature packed writing app, but at the end of the day, it’s Penultimate that you come back to.

For kids of my generation, Ghostbusters is an important part of growing up. You have these four funny guys (Egon, Peter, Winston and Ray) banding together to rid the city of ghosts, the scientific way. I learned about ectoplasm and the ways of Slimer, and my sisters and I named our very first hamsters after Egon and Jeanine (the wisecracking secretary).

To give you an idea of what Ghostbusters is about, check out the movie trailer below:

A cartoon series and several movies and later, Ghostbusters is all but forgotten. Not to us who grew up watching them, and not to XMG Studio whose developers have come up with a way to keep the Ghostbusters alive through Ghostbusters Paranormal Blast.

A game that's called “My Farm Life” might arouse suspicion for those, like me, who hate pay to play, freemium games that are cute and promising but require real cash to buy this and that. To my relief, and likely yours as well, My Farm Life HD published by Alawar Entertainment is not a social farming simulation game – it is actually the title of a fictional reality show where an unsuspecting aspiring actress is cast in the lead role to well, run a farm!

If you're into frantic time management games, then My Farm Life HD deserves further examination. Read on!

Keep track of your power consumption, make money, reach the level goals before time runs out!

As I write this review, the lights in my entire area have gone out. If you build one too many literally power hungry houses without a wind farm in place, you will find yourself unable to earn rent from the houses that your own and pretty much unable to build anything else. Shame on you for not being environmentally conscious about your real estate tycoon dreams. In Build-a-Lot 4: Power Source HD, the emphasis – as it should be, is on going green. Read the full review after the break!

It’s Black Friday once again as we celebrate Thanksgiving with a slew of apps and games on sale! To guide you through the hordes of apps at your disposal, here are some of appSIZED’s very own recommendations. Just click on the name of the app to take you straight to the iTunes page:

7) Mega Mall Story (NOW $0.99/iPhone only) – Their apps go on sale rarely, so Kairosoft fans and newbies to one of the most addictive simulation games known to man, you can test the waters with this game.

8) Jazz: Trump’s Journey (NOW $0.99/Universal) – Lest this music game/platformer be buried in the massive price drops going on, this gorgeous little game has a lot of charm and soul.

12) Quickoffice Pro HD (NOW $4.99/iPad only) – A personal favorite of mine, Quickoffice Pro HD is also a viable alternative to your Pages/Keynote/Numbers apps, in one easy to use app.

13) ReaddleDocs for iPad – PDF viewer/attachments saver/file manager (NOW $1.99/iPad only) – Readdle is a trusted brand when it comes to productivity, so you might find this app useful for school and work.

4) Docs to Go Premium (NOW $9.99/Universal) – Looking for a way to make your iPad more productive? Docs to Go is a one stop shop for documents, spreadsheets and presentations on your iPhone and iPad.

Attention, time management fans and casual gamers, do not miss the massive blowout care of Alawar Entertainment! Most of their iPhone and iPad games are on sale, or totally free! Check out their massive collection of apps here and apps reviewed on appSIZED here.

Likewise, another favorite of mine, G5 Games, also has tons of games on sale! Check out their games here and appSIZED reviews of some of their games here.

That’s it for now. Keep watching this post for more picks from appSIZED!

p.s. In case you are on the lookout for some cool new stuff from Apple, such as an iPad mini perhaps or a retina Macbook Pro, make sure you don’t miss their own Black Friday sale on the Apple page. Free shipping for selected items!

All but forgotten? The iPod Touch has been around since 2008, as a budget-friendly alternative to the iPhone. However, I must admit that when I stayed up to watch the (anticlimactic) iPhone 5 launch, it wasn't the much hyped iPhone that caught my attention but its svelte, stylish sibling making a comeback – the all but forgotten iPod Touch.

When I chanced upon the beautiful blue 5th generation iPod Touch in an Apple Reseller store, it was love at first sight. Luckily, what started out as an impulse purchase became my boyfriend's birthday gift to me. 🙂

happy birthday to me!

I know most people are set on upgrading to the iPhone 5. However, for those who are on the fence about upgrading their iPhones but would like to benefit from the iPhone 5 experience (taller display, better performance, thinner device, etc.), then this review is for you.

Fieldrunners (iPhone) is a tower defense game that combines cute cartooony runners, vehicles and flying objects with serious looking towers that lob plasma, bullets and shoot electricity. Long before the tower defense (TD) genre spawned hundreds of copycats as much as it has some original concepts going, Fieldrunners for the iPhone was the definitive game of the tower defense genre and iOS app development. Tower defense games have multiplied exponentially since then, from cute themed games to hardcore action.

Meanwhile, Fieldrunners for iPad ($7.99) came out in 2011 – meaning indie developer Subatomic Studios took their sweet time to port the iPhone version to a bigger screen. Fieldrunners 2 HD ($7.99) on the other hand, launched to great success late this year, and is retina-display ready.

In my yet another foray into tower defense (TD) games, I was asked to check out Toy Defense HD, a TD aspirant from Melesta Games, the guys behind … the Farm Frenzy series, among others. Farm Frenzy?! You may ask. Well, given that it’s one of my favorite time management titles, I was incredibly curious to see how Toy Defense HD would turn out.